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Substitute Salomon Kalou scored in injury time to keep Chelsea’s Barclays Premiership hopes alive with a 1-0 victory over Watford as they moved back to within six points of leaders Manchester United.

Just when it appeared Jose Mourinho’s team would be held to a goalless draw by bottom side Watford, Kalou flicked Andriy Shevchenko’s cross beyond Ben Foster and sparked huge celebrations among the Chelsea players and staff.

The result was harsh on Watford, who matched the champions and saw Damien Francis and Steve Kabba miss glaring chances.

Tommy Smith appealed for a penalty in the fifth minute when his angled shot brushed John Terry’s arm, but referee Uriah Rennie waved play on.

Foster showed his quality in the 33rd minute, producing an instinctive stop with his leg to deny Didier Drogba from eight yards, and again 11 minutes later, first blocking Ashley Cole’s cut-back with his foot and then pushing away Shevchenko’s follow-up.

But Kabba missed a wonderful chance to give Watford the lead in the 50th minute. He found himself with a clear shooting opportunity six yards out, but the former Sheffield United man panicked and missed the target from close range.

Watford then needed all their mettle in defence as Chelsea began to pour forward and Jay DeMerit produced a superb sliding tackle to prevent Frank Lampard shooting home from point-blank range.

In the 88th minute Francis could have won it for Watford but shot straight at Cech from four yards.

Just when it seemed as though Chelsea would be denied the win, Shevchenko escaped on the right in injury time and crossed for Kalou to head past Foster.